Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of “conversion therapy” on minors in the state, calling his executive order a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice.
The governor used his executive powers after Republicans who control the state legislature repeatedly blocked efforts to enact a state law banning the practice.
Beshear said he would no longer wait for others to “do what’s right.”
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of “conversion therapy” on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday, calling his executive order a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.
The governor used his executive powers after Republicans who control the state legislature repeatedly blocked efforts to enact a state law banning the practice. Beshear said he would no longer wait for others to “do what’s right.”
Republican state Rep. Killian Timoney shook Beshear’s hand after the signing, and expressed support for the ban. But another GOP lawmaker, state Rep. Josh Calloway, said the governor had defied the will of the legislature, which isn’t scheduled to reconvene until January.
“We are the lawmaking body, and laws should be made by people’s representatives,” Calloway said.
The Family Foundation, a socially conservative group in Kentucky, said Beshear’s order tramples on the rights of parents and suppresses religious expression. It referred to the ban as an “unlawful action,” perhaps signaling a legal challenge.
Sourse ABC NEWS
